Jack’s Barber Shop — A Cut Above the Crossroads (10-18)

Historical narrative

This evocative scene captures the former Jack’s Barber Shop in Trilacoochee, Florida, in the mid-1970s, at a busy crossroads roughly halfway between Trilby and Lacoochee. Jack, at left, had been cutting hair the same way since World War II, when he was trained by the United States Army to give soldiers regulation GI haircuts. His $1 haircut remained a local bargain well into the 1970s. Jack also used his shop as a place to sell used automobile parts, including used tires, adding another unusual dimension to this small-town business. Beside him, Joe, the other barber, continued cutting hair despite having lost a leg. He balanced himself with a stool while working and chewed tobacco, spitting against the already stained wall, where most of it would drip into an old can below. Filled with loyal customers, worn chairs, and well-used fixtures, Jack’s was both a barbershop and a distinctive crossroads gathering place.

Oil

© Stephen B. Hales — All Rights Reserved